dragonettes pics please and questions

[rogerwilco357]

ok my question is as follows , I know that a stable food source is key for their survival , but and I have ample food source , just bought one to help with the remaining flat worms i have and want to buy another since this guy is always on the hunt but wondered how can you tell if it is a male or female and can you keep 2 or more of these guys in a 120 gallon tank? I have 2 tangs and a foxface already in the tank and they seem to be getting along fine I have tons of rock so alot of caves and such so he is always scouting and really want to know if i could get another one ..how can you tell if it is a boy or girl ? anyone have pics of their dragonettes hope i am spelling that correctly if so please post them would love to see the different patterns out there..
thanks
Roger

 

[snorvich]

Well, first of all, they do not eat flatworms. Secondly, you probably have enough copepods for one, but probably not two. Thirdly, a male has a spiked dorsal fin while the female is rounded.

 

[Giglamesh]

read post wrong sorry

 

[snorvich]

some will eat flatworms

Not reliably. There is anecdotal reports that the spotted ones may eat flatworms, but having had both, I would tend to doubt it.

 

[davocean]

Here's a pic of a male I had showing spike dorsal.
I agree, would not count on them for FW, and 2 in a 120g might wipe out pods, borderline depending on how much rock/fuge.
FWE is perfectly safe if you follow directions, I'd try that.
A wrasse may eat FW,s, but then it would become pod competition afterwards.

 

[snorvich]

Gorgeous male davocean!

 

[davocean]

Thanks, my male of my mated pair that spawned pretty frequently, but unfortunately went when I downsized my system as part of the deal.
He was my avatar for a long time.

 

[Korrine]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-09/fish/index.php

 

[Korrine]

And here is the mandarin primer

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1492650&highlight=mandarin

 

[rogerwilco357]

so mine is a female has no doral fin like that is the one shown a blue mandarin? mine is the green pasley colored mandarin. and again mislead by the lfs which told me that they indeed will aid in keeping the flatworm population in check as would the wrasse guess he was mistaken.

 

[mark0933]

Spotteds don't get near the spike that regular manderins have. The way that I can tell male from female in in the head shape. Males have much more of a rounded nose (like a bull terrier with the "hump" between the eyes) and a female has a much skinnier snout that is more pointed. In my pics the female is larger, but only because she was older.

Hope that helps...

Mark

PS - I believe spotteds eat flat worms (brown/red type) in my tank for what it is worth

 

[namxas]

Here's a pic of the fellow we had for a good 8 years. He ate like a champ (wasn't crazy about FW's but did eat them occasionally). He did go off his feed towards the end, so he's thin in the pic.

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

i have a mated pair of ocellate dragonets in my 90g i've had the female for 3 years and the male only a bit over 1. they are HUGE!! and eat pellets all day long

 

[sfboarders]

Here's "China" my mandarin. Purchased a Lg. from BZA. He's was fat when I got him. He's even fatter now.

 

[rogerwilco357]

here is the one i bought? male or female?

 

[mark0933]

My bet based on head would be a male...

Mark